//------------------------------//
// The Break Up Break Down 
// Story: My Little Pony: Sora's Misadventures in Equestria 
// by Codex92 
//------------------------------//

Winter seems to come and go faster than the youth of the generation experience in Equestria. Before they knew it, the winter holidays were over a couple months later and the season was all wrapped up for spring. Gallus was a little apprehensive when it came time for the non-Equestrian holiday, Christmas, when Hearth's Warming seemed to be enough for him to enjoy spending time with his teachers as part of the family. Especially with Aqua, the two sharing a very close bonding moment that made the griffon believe he's truly found the family he had longed for. Sandbar was surprised to see Gallus wasn't being further punished since he already resided in Ponyville, relieved to know he was doing ok and was allowed to hang out with him, or duke it out in a snowball fight for the fun of it. When the girls of the Young Six came back from the break, they were also glad to know Gallus had already paid his dues after Aqua apologized for her strict and harsh behavior toward them all before forcing them to head home for the holidays. Aqua expected Silverstream to hold a grudge over her when she showed how dearly she cared about Gallus, but the hippogriff was still her energetic and optimistic self, more relieved to be back and know that Gallus was reunited with his friends; his family.

With the warmer weather came another heart warming season of the romantic kind. Hearts and Hooves Day was here, and love was in the air. Although, after learning Chrysalis was within several yards of the Mane Six, Starlight, and Sora during their trek through the Everfree Forest some time ago, the wielders were on high alert for the changeling queen should she try to feast on the immense amount of love from all the couples around Ponyville. Especially Sora and Kairi. She tricked Sora once, and she could do it again, or maybe set her sights on Kairi instead.

Sora made a sweep around Sweet Apple Acres, on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary hiding underneath the trees of the massive orchard. "No sign of that love-sucking bug so far," he mumbled. "I swear, some of these emergencies keep cutting into our wedding plans more often than not. Rarity also wants to fit me in my tuxedo even though I don't think my body's changed all that much since the last fitting...Or, with the wedding being held in The Land of Departure, she wants to work on the full outfit while I'm a human..." While pondering if Rarity had the ability to fashion an outstanding outfit for his wedding, Sora hovered over the barn after checking the numerous trees in the hundreds of acres of land. Humming curiously, he wondered if his surrogate older brother had any plans with his sweetheart, Sugar Belle. Dropping down to the ground, he landed at the front door, greeted by the happy collie who was napping in the living room as he stepped inside, along with the smell apples and cinnamon. "Mmm...Is someone making a pie?"

Making his way to the kitchen, Sora saw Big Mac staring anxiously into the oven window, his gaze shifting between the appliance and the apple-shaped timer on top. He was a bit surprised to see Spike was here, too.

"Hey, Sora," Spike greeted.

"What's going on?" Sora asked curiously. "Pie baking contest?"

"Actually, Big Mac's planning something special for Sugar Belle for Hearts and Hooves Day today," Spike said, the red earth pony too busy fretting over the oven to notice the pegasus wielder's presence.

"Oh. That's sweet of him to do," Sora said. "But...he knows that it takes time for a pie to bake, right?"

Big Mac let out an impatient groan as the timer only ticked down to barely a minute from the turned timer starting from the thirty minute mark. "It's agonizing, even for me," Spike said. "Hearts and Hooves Day has already started, and it's taking forever!"

"Eeyup!" Big Mac agreed.

Sora rolled his eyes at their overexaggerated anxiety. "Maybe you should have made that pie a day early instead of waiting now."

"Big Mac was going to do something special for Sugar Belle, much more than a simple pie!" Spike said. "When she receives the pie, she'll see an invitation was baked inside it - which was my idea - for a romantic dinner for two later this evening at the barn."

"...Well, that sounds appetizing when you get mailed a pie," Sora mumbled. "Too bad you can't cut corners when it comes to baking or cooking. And speaking of cooking, I'm gonna need to visit Twilight Town and see if the Little Chef Remy can cater for mine and Kairi's wedding. That fruit au tarte was delicious."

Spike and Big Mac looked at each other, then back to Sora as an idea popped into their heads. "Maybe we can with help from a certain somepony," Spike said. "This is an emergency, after all."

"Eeyup," Big Mac agreed.

"Uhh, who? Pinkie?" Sora asked.

"Discord, a little help!?" Spike called out, making Sora balk in surprise.

"Discord!?" the wielder exclaimed. "Why him?"

Spike didn't answer, neither did Big Mac. The two waited for the draconequus to appear, but nothing chaotic happened to announce his appearance. Getting an idea, Big Mac whispered to Spike, perking the baby dragon up as he gave the stallion a thumbs up.

"Oh, Captain Wuzz! Are you prepared to enter the world of Ogres & Oubliettes!?" Spike called out again.

The plan was successful as Discord suddenly popped into the kitchen in his Captain Wuzz cosplay. Dizzy appeared alongside his older self, wearing what appeared to be a mage's outfit, though it was a dark shade of blue with a cape of the same color, an eye mask matching his outfit, and carried a plain staff in his paw.

"Huzzah, fellow adventurers!" Discord greeted, materializing his cosplay bow and pulled back the string, ready for another LARPing session. "Shall we storm the ramparts of Squizard's castle to reclaim Calico's Ring of Imperceptability?"

"Ooh! Can we go on a journey to find the four elemental crystals and slay the fiends holding them captive!?" Dizzy asked, waving his staff as he seemed to cast a spell, but instead of a normal magic spell, he took a breath and blew out a torrent of water from his mouth, splashing Sora as he winced from the surprise attack. "Oops. Sorry, Sora. Getting used to some new blue mage spells I just learned."

"I've never heard of a blue mage," Spike uttered, though grew a bit curious to the new class the younger draconequus made up.

"It's cool! You learn spells and abilities from monsters, and you can use them against other monsters!" Dizzy explained. "And I get to wear this super cool outfit. I look all mysterious and suave."

Sora shook the water off of him, not even surprised that luring Discord to a game of Ogres & Oubliettes would get him to appear. "You sure do. Maybe next time, aim whatever weird element breath at Discord. Or away from anyone."

"Well, aren't you ready for a rousing Guy's Night or what?" Discord questioned.

"Sort of. But, do you think you can magically hurry up this pie real quick?" Spike asked, he and Big Mac gesturing to the oven with the pie still being baked.

Discord deflated and looked annoyed, grumbling slightly. "Really? I think you're mixing up-" His outfit changed in a chaotic flash, revealing himself in a royal red cape, a gold crown, and a golden staff with an effigy of his head on the top end. "-the Lord of Chaos-" Discord flashed his outfit back into his Captain Wuzz outfit. "-with a second-rate clown magician for hire."

With a sigh, Discord held up his paw and was about to snap his fingers. "W-Wait!" Big Mac called out, stopping the draconequus from performing his quick-baking chaos magic.

"I thought you wanted the pie to be baked now," Dizzy said, both draconequui getting confused.

"Yes, but it's gotta be mailed today, or it'll never reach Sugar Belle in time for Hearts and Hooves Day," Spike said.

The farm stallion giggled sheepishly, unable to stop thinking of his marefriend and her arrival in Ponyville. Discord let out an annoyed sigh, his reaction confusing Sora.

"Hearts and Hooves Day," he scoffed. "Nopony seems to get that this holiday is just a commercialized ruse by the greeting card industry."

"Really?" Sora questioned. "Not a big fan of a holiday filled with romance? What about spending the day with Fluttershy?"

Discord balked, but Dizzy let out a giggle at his older self's reaction. "Discord's too scared to tell her."

"You keep your big mouth shut or you're going to be taking another bath!" Discord warned, flicking the draconequus colt's cape over his head.

Sora smirked, leaning against the counter. "After seeing you two and your 'spring cleaning', sounds like you're just a little too nervous to tell Fluttershy you lo-"

Snapping his fingers, Discord forcibly created an apple and had it stuffed in Sora's mouth. "I just think the holiday is silly! I in no way have any sort of romantic feelings toward the pegasus who became my first ever friend and I hang out with every Tuesday for our Tuesday Teatimes!" Discord argued. Dizzy fixed his cape, an impish grin on his muzzle as he proved Discord wasn't being completely honest with his feelings. The draconequus let out a huff, snapping his fingers, and in a flash, Big Mac's pie for Sugar Belle was properly baked. "Here. You all owe me for this."

Big Mac clapped his hooves excitedly, taking the pie and wrapped up the simple pastry with heart-shaped pieces in the crust and a surprise message for the unicorn baker. Set inside a pink box and tied with some light blue string, he also placed a small slip of paper that had two drawings on it that was a cleverly romantic hint to who the gift belongs to: on the left was a trio of sugar cubes, and the right had a bell.

Sora spat out the chaotically crafted apple, hoping there wasn't some lingering magic inside it after it suddenly sprouted wings and flew out the window. "Come on, Discord. You have no idea what love is like until you experience it for yourself."

"Don't you have a date with Kairi for this ridiculous holiday?" Discord questioned.

"I would, but after realizing Chrysalis tried to make copies of us to take the Elements of Harmony from the Tree, and Hearts and Hooves Day is like a magnet for formerly evil changelings, we're all a bit on high alert for today," Sora said with a disappointed sigh. "That bug has tricked me more than enough times in my life, and she's not getting away with it again."

"Right. She pretended to be Kairi, then mind controlled you into helping her take over Canterlot," Dizzy said. "Most of what she did to you was blanked out in your memory book."

"Gee, thanks for reminding me that I subconsciously cheated on my soon-to-be wife," Sora grumbled. Grabbing the pie box, Sora shoved the string in Big Mac's mouth, then pushed him out of the house. "Come on, Casanova. Get that pie mailed out to your sweetheart before it doesn't make it in time and enjoy your date with her tonight."

Big Macintosh didn't need much encouragement to get a move on, happily hopping down the trail with hearts in his eyes as he made his way to the post office. "This was a great idea," Spike said. "Sugar Belle's definitely gonna be surprised when she sees the invitation in the pie."

"You put a piece of paper with a not in a barely palatable pie?" Discord questioned the baby dragon. "I mean, paper is high in fiber and healthy for the intestinal tract, but that's just nonsensical. And I should know."

"Well, it was my idea," Spike mumbled.

"Just ignore him. He's just jealous that you guys have somepony special to be with," Dizzy said. He winced when he looked at Spike, recalling all his attempts to woo Rarity and were all passed off as adorable "little brother" antics. "...Uhh, some of you."

"Maybe we can help change Discord's mind if we show him all the romance in town," Sora suggested. "And get a little inspiration to ask Fluttershy out on a date."

"We are just friends and nothing more," Discord quickly interjected. "But if you CAN change my mind on what this holiday is all about, then I will ask Fluttershy out on a FRIENDLY date. If you can't, you two will mow my lawn for eternity."

"Uhh, like...with a riding mower?" Spike asked nervously. Discord pulled out a pair of thin tweezers, clicking the thin prongs a couple times to emphasize how they'd "mow" his chaotic lawn. "...Oh."

"Alright, Discord, you're on," Sora said. He and Discord shook respective limbs to seal the deal. "And I'm willing to bet that 'friendly' date's going to be much more than that after a few minutes."

"Same!" Dizzy agreed.

"Let's just get today over with," Discord groaned, poofing out of his Captain Wuzz outfit, completely duped and wrangled into a boring escapade.

Dizzy did the same as both draconequui followed Sora and Spike into Ponyville.





Big Mac eagerly approached the post office, excited to share a special Hearts and Hooves Day date with Sugar Belle. He set the gift on the counter, which Derpy gladly took to the stallion's glee as he turned and hopped back home in a lovestruck daze. The pegasus mailmare took the box and set it on a shelf for her other coworkers in the back to send out for their next mail run. Unaware, her hoof had accidentally smudged the ink on the little slip to give her coworkers an idea of who to send the gift to, leaving only the bell and the sugarcubes turned into a messy splotch. She noticed the odd ink on her hoof, but brushed it off and wiped it off on her work shirt's sleeve, then got right back to work handling more mail.

At the opposite end of town, Tender Taps hummed happily as he trotted down the road with the occasional happy tap dance in between. On his back was a small bouquet of roses and a heart-shaped box filled with chocolate to give to Apple Bloom like last Hearts and Hooves Day. Only this time, he was much more confident in himself, and after their date last year, their friendship became a bit more romantic. Whenever the two weren't too busy with their respective talents or stuff to do at home, the two spend as much time together as they could to build their relationship more, especially when the two shared their first kiss a few months back. It was a bit clumsy and awkward, but it was an incredible experience he would gladly repeat over and over again.

The tap dancing colt reached Sweet Apple Acres, but skid to a halt when he saw Big Macintosh happily trotting down the opposite end of the road. He suddenly felt a bit anxious as he grimaced, waiting to be given that death glare from an overprotective brother. When he saw the stallion's eyes, he noticed he was a bit too distracted, barely paying Tender Taps any mind as he turned into the entryway of his family's property and began skipping up the hill to the farmhouse. Tender Taps didn't know what was worse; getting skeptical glances from his marefriend's brothers, or the buff and burly earth pony having a happy-go-lucky attitude.

Shrugging his shoulders, he followed Big Mac along the path, wondering if he was able to ask where his youngest sister currently was. Thankfully, he didn't need to when he took a glance at the barn, where he spotted his marefriend with her other two friends through the opened barn doors. Tender Taps made his way over with a skip in his own step. Inside, he could see some Hearts and Hooves Day decorations the Crusaders had carried in as they began to decorate the barn for the holiday.

"Ah cannot wait until Sugar Belle sees what we've done for the barn for her and Big Mac's big date!" Apple Bloom excitedly said. "This time for sure, we're gonna make a romantic plan work without any hiccups!"

"Don't jinx it, Apple Bloom," Sweetie Belle warned. "We've had a horrible track record. Trying to set up your brother with Miss Cheerilee, the love potion, and trying to get him and Sugar Belle together with romantic princely gestures from fairy tales."

"That last part was mostly your ideas from that story book you brought when we stowed away to Sugar Belle's town," Scootaloo reminded the filly, getting a deadpanned leer from her.

Sweetie went to turn around to grab some more heart-shaped streamers, only to pause when she saw Tender Taps standing by the doorway. The filly smirked, using her magic to levitate one of the decorations, a paper heart with a bit of string to hang on light fixtures, flopping it on Apple Bloom's back. Apple Bloom mumbled in confusion at her unicorn friend's antics, but as she turned around to see what she put on her, her eyes widened when she saw her coltfriend standing at the barn entrance, her smile growing wider as she ran up to him.

"Tender Taps!" She greeted the grinning colt with a hug, her growing strength nearly crushing him as she knocked the wind out of him.

"H-Happy...Hearts and Hooves Day," Tender wheezed, getting his breath back when the filly finally released him. "Ugh. I forgot how strong you are."

"Sorry. Ah'm just so glad to see ya," Apple Bloom said with a small blush. "Ah've been a little busy helpin' mah brother set up his date with his marefriend."

"Oh. Is that why he looked so...giddy?" Tender Taps asked. "I think I'd prefer a stern glare than that dopey grin."

Apple Bloom giggled in response. As her coltfriend gave her the chocolate and flowers, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo watched the couple with envy.

"It seems like everypony's got a special somepony but us," Sweetie Belle mumbled. "Even Apple Bloom does."

"Mrph. Not like I care," Scootaloo muttered under her breath bitterly.

The two single fillies' mulling was interrupted by an odd knock against the barn. Apple Bloom and Tender Taps even looked toward the entrance, watching a mail pony heading down the path toward their mail carriage and trotting off to continue their route. In front of the barn doors, the courier left a box for the supposed address. Apple Bloom went over to examine in, picking it up and carrying it back inside for the others to see.

"Who's it from?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Lowering the box, the foals noticed the smudged recipient's "name" attached to it. "Hard to tell with that smudge. But it looks like it's for a...'Belle'?" Apple Bloom pondered.

Sweetie Belle immediately gasped in surprise. "Sweetie Belle!?" The unicorn excitedly opened the box, revealing a heart-shaped pie with a few hearts carved into the crust, the sweet smell of apples and cinnamon wafting from the pie. "Oh my gosh! Somepony went out of their way to do this for me? On Hearts and Hooves Day!?"

"Ya got a secret admirer!" Apple Bloom cheered. Sweetie Belle squealed in excitement at the thought, which only left Scootaloo more jealous than ever. "This is so romantic, Sweetie Belle!...But, who's it from?"

"I...don't know," Sweetie mumbled. "I mean, I do want to know...but which colt do we know secretly likes me?"

"Why don't we find out!? We can finish decoratin' the barn and-!" In Apple Bloom's excitement for her unicorn friend finding a special somepony, she grimaced, nearly forgetting about her coltfriend. Tender Taps came over and brought her flowers and candy, most likely having plans made for the two of them to enjoy more of each other's company. Glancing back at the colt, she felt conflicted, neither wanting to disappoint him or one of her best friends to finding her secret admirer on Hearts and Hooves Day. "...Uhh...T-Tender...Ah know ya wanted to spend Hearts and Hooves Day with me. And ya probably have a date planned for us if ya brought me gifts...but, Ah also really wanna help Sweetie Belle..."

"Uhh, actually, I had mostly planned for us to spend today together and do whatever," Tender Taps said, grinning sheepishly. "My allowance was spent on some new tap shoes for my dance performances. I just had enough leftover for some flowers and chocolates for you. So, whatever you wanna do is fine with me as long as I'm with you."

Apple Bloom blushed, biting her lower lip as her heart fluttered. "W-Well, if you're sure ya wanna..." Tender Taps nodded, a small blush on his own cheeks. "Ok. Then let's get a move on before the holiday's over!"

"Yes, please!" Sweetie Belle begged.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle rushed out, the latter closing the box and stowing it in the corner of the barn with her magic as the two fillies excitedly wondered who the unicorn's secret admirer could be. Tender Taps was about to follow, only to notice Scootaloo's grumpy mood.

"Aren't you happy for Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo?" he asked.

"Yeah. So happy for her," Scootaloo mumbled. The pegasus filly pushed one of the boxes of decorations aside and trudged along after her friends. "Both my friends have special someponies. Happy Hearts and Hooves Day..."

Tender Taps began to worry, but not knowing Scootaloo or Sweetie Belle all that much, he hoped she wasn't too jealous of her friends.





Out in town, Sora and Spike guided Discord and Dizzy down the busy streets, where couples were already filling the air with love. Some were enjoying their time at the packed restaurants, others were just meeting up to begin their date or just enjoying the nice day out together. Though Sora was supposed to be on patrol, nothing seemed out of the ordinary to arouse suspicion of Chrysalis being around. Part of him was a bit worried if the reformed changelings could swarm ponies on Hearts and Hooves Day, but thankfully, Ocellus hadn't felt any cravings for love since they changed.

"See? Look at all the couples," Spike pointed out. "Love is all around today."

"Perfect for the formerly evil changelings to eat," Sora added.

"Pth. Love probably tastes like chalk like those tiny little heart candies with 'romantic' words on them that nopony wants to eat," Discord grumbled.

"But there's other candy. Like chocolate!" Dizzy said. "And what else to get your sweetheart but a sweet, chocolatey heart?"

"Not in love with her!" Discord exclaimed, grabbing his ears and yanking them off his head. "Nothing either of you will say can get me to change my mind about the subject!"

"Oh brother. And he thinks I'm the child," Dizzy muttered.

"We'll get him to believe in the spirit of romance soon enough." As they rounded the corner down the road leading to Sugercube Corner, Sora and Spike froze when they spotted Kairi walking up to the bakery with Sugar Belle. "Huh!? Sugar Belle!?"

"She's already here!?" Spike exclaimed.

The two mares walked inside, giggling as they talked among themselves. Sora, Spike, Discord, and Dizzy snuck up to the doorway, peeking inside to spy on them. Mrs. Cake greeted the two once she was sure her husband was able to handle the orders on his own for a bit.

"Big Mac is going to be in for a huge surprise," Kairi said.

"Oh, I'm sure he will," Mrs. Cake agreed.

"Sugar Belle's planning a surprise date for him?" Sora uttered as the boys slunk away from the doorway.

"What if she goes to Sweet Apple Acres before Big Mac's ready with his surprise?" Spike questioned, beginning to worry. "We gotta warn him!"

Discord groaned in annoyance. He snapped his fingers, teleporting all of them back to Sweet Apple Acres, where Big Mac was in the kitchen baking a soufflé for his and Sugar's Hearts and Hooves Day dessert. The stallion got startled as he heard them appear, bumping the stove, which wound up deflating his dessert.

"Ok, maybe a little warning before you do that," Sora grumbled. "I think chaotic teleportation's more stomach churning than unicorn or alicorn teleportation."

"Your stomach's fine as long as none of your organs got rearranged," Discord muttered.

"Big Mac, we got a problem!" Spike said after recovering from the slight nausea he experienced. "Sugar Belle's at Sugarcube Corner, but we think she's on her way over here! You gotta distract her until the barn's finished!"

Big Mac gasped, not wanting his surprise to be ruined too soon as he nodded, hurrying out of the house to keep his marefriend from spoiling the surprise.

"What does Sugar Belle even have planned anyway?" Sora questioned. "And why was Kairi talking with her?"

"We don't have to wonder for long!" Discord said, snapping his fingers once again, transporting them back in town, plopping Sora, Spike, and Dizzy into a nearby bush across the road from the bakery.

Sora and Spike poked their heads out of the shrubbery, glaring at the draconequus with disdain. "Will you cut that out?"

"No, because it was fun," Discord said with a smirk.

"It kinda was," Dizzy said as he popped his head out of the bush.

"You're biased. Don't fall to your older self's corruption," Sora said, smirking directly at Discord as he began to pet the draconequus colt's head.

Discord winced as he felt the light rubbing, smacking the wielder's hoof off his other self's head. "Will YOU cut THAT out!?"

"No. Because it's fun," Sora said in the similar mocking tone the draconequus had.

"Hay yeah it was," Dizzy added.

"Shut it, you," Discord glowered at Dizzy, poking the colt's snout with his finger.

Their bickering was cut short when they heard Kairi and Sugar Belle as they exited the bakery. Panicking, Sora grabbed Discord and dragged him into the bushes to hide from them. Coming up down the road from the apple orchard, Big Mac came galloping down, spotting his marefriend up ahead.

"Take notes, Discord," Spike whispered. "You're about to see true love in action."

"I've seen plenty of romantic scenes between Sora and Kairi through his little book of memories," Discord scoffed, materializing Sora's memory book. "Although, some source materials only claim their relationship to be 'overly friendly', but I think it was clearly obvious these two were meant to be together from scene one."

Sora ignored the comment as the boys watched Big Mac approach Sugar Belle and Kairi, both mares completely unaware of his presence, or the lovestruck gaze in the stallion's eyes. "Just be honest with him," Kairi said as their conversation was able to be heard. "Not too hard since the Apples are all about honesty."

"I know, but I just hope he'll be ok without me," Sugar Belle said worriedly.

As Big Mac began to overhear the two, he started to panic. Unsure what his love was so concerned about, he quickly dove into the bush, tackling Sora as the two uttered a quiet grunt.

"...Sora?" Big Mac uttered.

"Heheh. Uhh, welcome to the bush club?" Sora whispered sheepishly.

Big Mac noticed Discord, Dizzy, and Spike hiding as well. "Uh, we're not spying," Spike stated nervously.

"We're totally spying," Dizzy corrected. "But with good intentions."

The farm stallion ignored them, peeking through the bushes as all five of them watched the girls begin to pass them. "I mean, he HAS been on his own before. So he'll be fine, right?" Sugar Belle asked, letting out a small sigh. "How should I tell Big Mac tonight? 'You won't need to come visit me in my village anymore'? 'We need to talk.'"

"Just tell him exactly what's on your mind," Kairi said, both mares coming to a stop in front of the boys' hiding spot.

"You're right." Sugar Belle took in a breath, feeling a bit more confident in herself. "Ok. 'We're finished.'"

Four sets of jaws dropped in shock. Sugar Belle wanted to break up with Big Mac, and the stallion felt his heart breaking and shattering to a million pieces. He fell back as he passed out while Sora, Spike, and Dizzy were astonished by the unicorn mare's blunt "honesty". Discord was disinterested in the conversation, messing around with a strange sort of ship in a bottle activity, but the pieces inside didn't look like parts of a vessel.

"Yeah. He needs a firm response so it hits home," Kairi agreed, her praise shocking Sora more. "He might be a bit stubborn at first, but it is for the best."

Sugar Belle nodded as the two mares continued on their way. Discord teleported all five of them back to the farm house, seeing enough of the "love" in the air between Big Mac and Sugar Belle, and just in time as Big Mac had woken up from his heartbroken shock, then breaking down into tears and bawling his heart out.

"Well, you guys were right," Discord said as he continued fiddling with his "ship in a bottle". "She DID surprise him."

"I...don't think that was supposed to end badly," Dizzy mumbled.

"I don't even know what just happened!" Sora exclaimed. "Sugar Belle's breaking up with Big Mac!?" His restating the obvious made Big Mac cry even harder as the stallion began to drown his sorrows in apple cider. Sora winced, regretting bringing up what they just learned minutes ago, but it still bothered him that Kairi actually helped Sugar Belle gain some confidence to say those very words. "This is insane. After we got the two of them together, she's ending it? I thought Kairi thought they were meant to be a couple as well, but...why is she agreeing with Sugar Belle on this?"

"Err, maybe...maybe she was talking about 'we're finished' as in the end of the day?" Spike suggested nervously. "Like, 'Hey, remember yesterday? That's finished, because it's today.'"

"You know darn well that's not what that meant, Spike!" Sora scolded.

"Ok, maybe not that," Spike mumbled. "Oh, I know! Maybe Sugar Belle has a whacky cousin who's never been on his own, and she has to leave him in charge of her shop while she apprentices with Mrs. Cake, who does that like two days a week. N-No, no, three. That's why she won't need Big Mac to come to her village anymore, because she'll already be here!"

Everyone stared at Spike for a long moment, Big Mac ceasing his drinking as he and Sora glanced at each other in disbelief. "...Really? Sugar Belle's cousin?" Sora questioned.

"Please. I could make up a much better reason," Discord chimed in.

Big Mac whimpered, downing the rest of his mug of cider. "She takes her pie-bakin' seriously," he mumbled. "Why'd Ah even try!? Ah bet she thought Ah was...makin' fun of her!"

"But you just delivered that pie, and even if a pegasus were to carry it all the way to Our Town, with it being the first destination on their route, it probably wouldn't be there within a few hours," Sora said. "She must have arrived much earlier before you planned on making the pie. There might be something we might have missed while Discord was busy teleporting us back and forth."

"I don't think there was much we missed if mares were busy conversating among themselves," Discord said. "Gossip, talking about colts, manes, makeup, and fancy clothes, breaking stallions' hearts." Big Mac began sobbing again. Sora leered at the draconequus, wishing he would stop running his mouth and make situations worse. "You know what? I think we need an emergency Guys' Night right now to cheer Big Mac up."

Snapping his fingers, Discord transformed the farmhouse kitchen into a fancy jazz club, seating Sora, Spike, Big Mac, and Dizzy on stools in front of a bar with different flavored milkshakes appearing in front of them. Wearing his jazzy orange suit, Discord plopped a fedora on the former three's heads, while Dizzy created his own and began drinking a Neopolatin shake.

"Discord, I don't think something like this is gonna help heal a broken heart that just happened," Sora explained. "Why don't we just find Sugar Belle and Kairi and find out the truth?"

Big Mac let out a sob, his muzzle quivering. "You...said...HER NAME!" he cried out as he bawled, burying his face into the bartop, knocking over his shake.

Sighing, despite his honorary brother feeling like it was the end of the world, Sora got up from his seat, flicking off the fedora from his head. "Alright, I'm gonna get to the bottom of this so Big Mac's not a blubbering mess."

"You sure that's a good idea, Sora?" Spike asked. "What if she really does plan to-?"

"Spike, before you make Big Mac cry a river of literal tears, don't bring it up," Sora warned.

"Ooh! I wanna come with Sora!" Dizzy gave a quick slurp through his straw, downing the rest of the shake in milliseconds without suffering a brain freeze. "If Discord won't look for inspiration to ask Fluttershy on a date, I'll do it for him."

"Fine, have it your way," Discord said. "But when you take part in our next Guys' Night with the others, you'd better level yourself up enough for the next dungeon raid."

"I think I can-" Discord interjected, teleporting Sora and Dizzy back in Ponyville, but high in the air. Sora yelped before he flapped his wings, hovering himself back down to the ground with Dizzy lazily floating down like a leaf until he plopped on the stallion's head. "You know, I think he's being a Hearts and Hooves Day grump because he's incredibly nervous wanting to ask out Fluttershy."

"Yeah, he is," Dizzy agreed. "I definitely embarrassed him more when I played with those dolls."

"I think it was obvious just from how favorably he treats Fluttershy over the rest of us," Sora said.

"Sora?" Behind him, Sora turned around to find Kairi walking up to him, but there was no sign of Sugar Belle. "And Dizzy?"

"Hi, Kairi!" Dizzy greeted with a wave.

"Is Discord here?" the alicorn asked.

"Yeah. He's around, but thankfully not causing any trouble today," Sora said. "Helping Big Mac with...Sugar Belle."

"...Really? Uhh, that's interesting. But, then again, you boys got along pretty well with him for 'Guys' Night' a while back." Sora began to wonder if that was true with how Discord loves to "roughhouse" with him after a better understanding of the draconequus's upbringing. "So what's Big Mac planning for her? I promise I won't tell."

"Uhh...He actually...wants to keep it a surprise," Sora said sheepishly.

Kairi rolled her eyes with a smirk. "Ok, fine. You boys wanting to keep a surprise for us to make it more romantic," she giggled. "Sugar Belle's also got a surprise for him, too. Saw her walk into town while I was on my patrol route and I couldn't help myself but greet her and have a little chat."

"Oh, he's gonna be surprised," Dizzy mumbled, making Sora panic as he quickly snatched the draconequus colt off his head and covered his mouth.

"Heheh! I'm so sure he's gonna be surprised to hear the surprise!" Sora laughed awkwardly, petting Dizzy roughly, knowing Discord was going to feel it and get back at him while in the process of cheering up Big Mac with Spike. "What exactly were you two talking about?"

"Oh, if you won't tell me what Big Mac planned for Sugar Belle, I'm keeping my lips sealed with Sugar's," Kairi smugly responded, making the stallion wilt in disappointment.

"Aww, that's no fair," Dizzy whined after squirming out of Sora's hooves. "We can keep a secret! Promise!"

Kairi giggled, petting the colt's head. "Sorry, Dizzy. But Sugar Belle promised me not to tell." The colt pouted, failing to change Kairi's mind with his cute charms. She leaned over to give Sora a chaste kiss on the cheek, startling the stallion out of his minor disappointment. "Once it's all clear later this evening, how about you and I celebrate the holiday with dinner?"

"Sounds good," Sora said.

"And don't you be slacking off helping Big Mac," Kairi chided, sticking out her tongue playfully at him. "As long as you don't tell the others I got distracted talking to Sugar Belle, I won't rat you out, mister."

"Yeah, yeah." The couple shared a small kiss before Kairi flew off to continue her patrol. Sora's smile waned, letting out a small grunt. "Well, so much for figuring out what they were talking about."

"And Sugar Belle probably won't spill the beans about her secret plan either," Dizzy added. They both simultaneously sighed heavily, watching the crowd of couples going about their holiday. Through the crowd, the draconequus colt spotted Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle with Tender Taps and Scootaloo following behind the two excited fillies, though Scootaloo seemed to be in a sour mood. Curious, Dizzy stretched his eyeballs out, bending and angling them like a periscope to get a higher vantage over the crowd. "Huh. Wonder what's got your surrogate siblings all excited."

"Hmm? The Crusaders are nearby?" Sora questioned, ignoring the outstretched, angular eyeballs gawking the crowd sticking out of the draconequus colt's sockets. Sora made his way toward the direction Dizzy was literally eyeing them from, who cranked his right ear to retract his eyeballs before running alongside the stallion. As they made their way through the crowd, they caught up with the Crusaders and Tender Taps, the sight of Apple Bloom's coltfriend making Sora pause as his big brother instincts were about to kick in. When he saw Scootaloo behind the Tender Taps, he forgot all about the colt when he saw the miserable frown on the pegasus Crusader's muzzle. "Hey, Scoots. Why the long face?"

Before she could answer, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom heard him as the unicorn filly ran over to him. "Sora, you'll never guess what happened!"

"Uhh, you figured out how to teleport?" Sora guessed.

"Sweetie Belle's got a secret admirer!" Apple Bloom blurted out. Hearing the news, Sora's jaw dropped, ignoring the excited squeals come from both fillies. It was bad enough that Apple Bloom had a coltfriend, though Sora does trust Tender Taps not to harm his honorary Apple sibling, but now another of his little sisters has someone's eye. "We've been goin' around town askin' colts if they sent a pie as a gift for a special somepony. Tryin' to be subtle to not give away who it was sent to."

"Sadly, no luck so far," Sweetie Belle said. "I'm glad it wasn't Snips or Snails. They're not really bad, but they can kinda be a little bit awkward."

Sora was too stunned to speak, practically paralyzed. Dizzy glanced up at him, giving him a small nudge against his leg, but he didn't budge.

"And now Sora's broken," Dizzy said.

Finally noticing the draconequus colt, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Tender Taps gawked at him, Scootaloo still wallowing in her miserable mood. "Who...uhh, what are you?" Tender Taps asked nervously.

"I'm Dizzy. I'm a part of Discord, the former Lord of Chaos, and his young, youthful innocence," Dizzy greeted. "Not to mention the sensible one, honest with our feelings, and irresistibly adorable to non-pony girls."

"Huh. Ah thought he kinda looked like Discord," Apple Bloom pondered. "Ya look like you'd be his little, LITTLE brother."

"And I act like one to tease him," Dizzy proudly proclaimed with a wide grin. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle glanced at each other before the unicorn filly looked back at him. She opened her mouth, but Dizzy beat her to it by pressing a talon to her lips. "No, I didn't send you a romantic pie. I may LOOK young, but I'm still Discord, soooo...I'm waaaaaaay older than you. That, and Discord already has a certain somepony in mind."

Sweetie Belle sighed in relief, but hearing Discord even had a certain someone he likes made Scootaloo huff. She stormed off, bumping past Sora, who was still frozen in shock. Dizzy watched Scootaloo, then followed after her to see what was bugging the filly. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle continued the hunt for the unicorn's secret admirer while Tender Taps stared at the stunned Keyblade wielder in confusion.

"Uhh, Mr. Sora?" the colt asked, trying to get his attention.

"...Why are these fillies growing up too fast?" Sora mumbled. He knew he couldn't stop them from pursuing certain things as they were getting older, especially romance. He can't control who likes them, but he was always going to be keeping a look out for them and be sure their significant other doesn't hurt them. Composing himself before he began to cry and wish those three fillies would stay young, he looked down at Tender Taps, who was a bit worried about what he was thinking when he glanced down at him. "You make sure Apple Bloom doesn't get into too much trouble when I'm around. Got it?"

"Y-Yes sir," Tender Taps nervously responded.

Expecting Sora to startle him, Tender was surprised as he was given a pat on the head. "Good. Just making sure," he said before he hurried after the two fillies to size up Sweetie Belle's admirer.

"...I guess that means he trusts me?" Tender Taps shrugged, grinning slightly as he followed along after them.





Scootaloo kept her head down, trying her hardest to ignore the romantic couples and their lovey-dovey conversations. There didn't seem to be any place in town devoid of ponies and their lovers to avoid being left out. Even though she visibly showed her disgust around romantic gestures, whether or not they were disturbingly bad, she couldn't avoid it as she was getting older. Along with her insecurities with her wings and inability to properly fly at her age, she doubted she would find a coltfriend of her own, or even get a date with her crush, Rumble.

Wandering to the park, which had couples enjoying their dates with picnics or strolling down the dirt road, she gave up and found a nearby bench. Sitting down, she leered bitterly at all the happy couples, thinking about what Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were going to do with their special someponies when they find Sweetie Belle's and leaving her out. She was about to break down in tears, but she was distracted by Dizzy slowly floating down in front of her, hanging upside down with his torso tied to a bundle of different heart-shaped balloons.

"Hi," Dizzy greeted.

Grunting, Scootaloo turned away from him. "Leave me alone."

Dizzy blinked, his balloons popping one by one until he dropped as the last one popped. Before he hit the ground, the draconequus colt hovered an inch off the ground, then popped over to the bench right-side up, taking a seat next to the filly.

"You're clearly not in the spirit of Hearts and Hooves Day, and you're not really happy to know Sweetie Belle's got somepony who likes her," Dizzy said. "Seems like you've got that 'bah humbug' attitude for the holiday or you're incredibly jealous of them."

Grumbling, Scootaloo hated how the strange chimera colt of chaos called her out for the latter. "I don't hate Hearts and Hooves Day," she said. "We tried to get our teacher to go out with Big Mac years ago, so I clearly don't hate the holiday...even though that almost ended in disaster with that love poison we brewed."

"Oh yeah. That was funny," Dizzy laughed. Scootaloo gave him a confused glance, her question answered with a snap of his fingers and Sora's memory book popping into existence between them. "Discord copied memories of Sora to learn about how him and formerly exploited what would get under his skin from all his adventures. Or should I say, Sora's MIS-adventures?" Dizzy looked in front of him, staring beyond the world and the fourth wall, giving the audience a sly wink. He then flipped the books nearly infinite number of pages until they reached that one Hearts and Hooves Day involving the Crusaders' attempted blind date with a love potion gone awry. Scootaloo looked at the detailed images with her, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle trying to set Big Macintosh on a date with their teacher, Ms. Cheerilee, their love potion brewing, and their second attempt botching as Sora and Twilight stop them, only to carelessly drink the love potion, poisoned to stare into each other's eyes along with the mushy romantic names that grossed any sane pony, and Kairi helping separate them while Sora angrily influenced by the poison to attack his true lover to get to Twilight. "I don't know why Sora and Twilight even drank that potion despite knowing what was in those cups. Probably keeping with the plot and have someone be dumb in fake love for the shenanigans."

"...That's...weird," Scootaloo mumbled, though being reminded of the love "potion" incident still made her sick to her stomach, not just from the mushy nicknames. At the end of the "chapter" in Sora's memory book, she stared in envy at Sora and Kairi spending the rest of that Hearts and Hooves Day afternoon with the two making up, and making out. "I don't know how they weren't mad at us for almost ruining their relationship..."

Dizzy closed the book and snapped it away. "Because he clearly cares about you," he said. "And I've seen some of those moments between you two where you were...not exactly in better spirits, let's just say. If he weren't so distracted by Sweetie Belle hunting for that special somepony, he would have checked on you to make sure you were ok. But, hopefully, I can be a reliable substitute." Scootaloo rolled her eyes and turned away from Dizzy. "Sooooo...is there somepony you like, but you're afraid to tell?"

Seeing how Discord's younger double wasn't going to leave her be, Scootaloo sighed and gave up. "...There is. His name's Rumble," she said. "He's a pegasus, but he doesn't have a cutie mark yet...Except, he's able to fly, and..."

She paused, but Dizzy understood what she was afraid to say. "Ah. Ok." He looked around the park, spotting a colt coming up along the trail out of Scootaloo's point of view. He had a small bouquet of roses in his mouth, looking around for something, or someone, until his eyes caught sight of the draconequus colt and pegasus filly on the bench. "Uhh, what does he look like?"

"Gray fur, dark grayish-blue mane and tail," Scootaloo described, which matched the colt's description as he seemed to hesitate and stand around awkwardly. "He's also Thunderlane's brother. Heard he got into the Wonderbolts as well, and like every pegasus in Equestria, Rumble also wants to be a great flier like him and be a Wonderbolt, too."

"Hmmmmm..." Curious, Dizzy teleported off the bench, reappearing in front of Rumble, who yelped and stumbled backward. "Is your name Rumble?"

"Y-Yeah? W-Who are-?" Rumble didn't get a chance to speak before Dizzy grabbed his hoof, popping them back over to the bench. "G-Gah! Hey!"

Startled, Scootaloo turned toward the chaotic teleportation sound, only to gasp and squeak slightly when she saw who Dizzy popped into existence with him. "Found him! And he's got flowers. For who, I wonder?" Dizzy asked with an impish smirk.

Rumble let out a growl as he glared at the draconequus colt, but when he looked back at Scootaloo, he tried to swallow the giant lump caught in his throat. "R-Rumble..." Scootaloo mumbled, blushing slightly before trying to act nonchalant leaning back against the bench. "...Uhh...W-Wassup?"

"H-Hi...Scootaloo," Rumble greeted anxiously. He placed the bouquet in his hooves, fidgeting with the small bundle slightly. "I-I...I was...looking for you."

"R-Really?" she squeaked, grimacing as she cleared her throat, failing to hide her bashfulness, trying her hardest to be as cool as Rainbow Dash. "W-Well, I was...I was just, you know...hanging out...in the park..."

"...With...another colt?" Rumble asked as he looked back at Dizzy.

"I'm not on a date with him!" Scootaloo blurted out. She quickly covered her muzzle, her mind racing for an excuse to backpedal out of the awkward exclamation. "Er, I-I mean, I barely even know him...or what he is."

"I am still present, FYI," Dizzy pointed out. "Also, fair point. I don't know what a draconequus would classify to be anyway."

"...Uhh...ok," Rumble mumbled. Taking a breath to steady his nerves, Rumble held the bouquet out to Scootaloo. "I...I got these for you..."

Taken aback, Scootaloo finally noticed the roses Rumble had been holding. "...For...me?" she asked, curious and confused.

"...I...Uhh, unless...you don't like flowers, I..." The nervous colt stumbled on his words before he got a little frustrated at himself. "I should have just gotten chocolates. Why did I listen to Thunderlane?"

"I-I didn't say I didn't not like getting flowers...to...like...?" Scootaloo and Rumble silently looked at each other awkwardly. She had no idea if she had said the right answer with her nonsensical rambling, but she took the flowers, relieving Rumble somewhat. She sniffed them, though she wondered why her crush was searching for her, and with a bouquet of flowers to give to her. "Umm...why were you looking for me? And...with flowers?"

"Uhh, I think it's because he likes you and wants to take you out on a date?" Dizzy answered. Both pegasi blushed, glaring angrily at the draconequus colt for his bluntness. "Well, it's true. You have a crush on him, and he must obviously have one on you, so the pieces fit."

"Will you just go away!?" Scootaloo exclaimed.

"...Oh. I'm becoming a third wheel," Dizzy said. "Ok! I'll leave you be!" He then zipped off, ducking into a bush and watch from a distance, ready to help Scootaloo if she fumbled or needed some more encouragement.

Rumble gave Scootaloo a quizzical look. "...I swear I don't know him," she said.

"He's weirder than Snips and Snails combined," Rumble uttered to himself. "But, uhh...he wasn't...half wrong. There's another reason for the flowers besides...what he guessed."

"...W-What?" Scootaloo uttered as her blush intensified.

"I...I wanted to really apologize for what I did at your Cutie Mark Day Camp and nearly ruining it," he said. "I'm not worried about getting my cutie mark anymore, but it wasn't right of me to take the other foals away from having fun. Even I got a bit bored doing nothing to avoid getting a cutie mark." Rumble rubbed the back of his neck as he glanced down at the ground. "I kind of felt like a bully for making fun of you and your friends for having a cutie mark and being stuck doing one thing your cutie marks represented. And I know you've been taking the brunt of Diamond Tiara's bullying before she changed."

"...Oh. Well, I...learned a few things, and I'm glad Diamond Tiara was the one who helped us find what we were best at: helping other ponies," Scootaloo said. "It did hurt that you tried to ruin our camp, but...I'm glad you did change your mind."

"Heh. My brother actually helped me realize that. I was just being incredibly stubborn," Rumble said.

"Yeah. Sora also brings me back to Equestria if I'm just as stubborn," Scootaloo added. Looking at the flowers again, she had already accepted Rumble's apology for nearly ending their day camp, though what else they meant as a gift brought Dizzy's comment involving their shared crushes on each other. "But...aside from apologizing, you got me flowers because...you uhh..."

"...Y-Yeah," Rumble answered, his cheeks turning red as he bit his lower lip sheepishly. "I...wanted to ask you...if you wanted to go on a date with me...for Hearts and Hooves Day."

"...But...why me?" Scootaloo asked, almost hesitating out of worry.

"Well, it's not just because you hang out with Rainbow Dash or Sora almost every day," Rumble admitted. "You're...pretty cool. And whenever I see you doing tricks on your scooter as you ride by, I think you have a lot of skill to be a Wonderbolt just like Dash or Thunderlane."

Despite the compliments, Scootaloo felt a little disheartened at her potential of being a Wonderbolt much like her idol. She just stared at the bouquet, afraid to look Rumble in the eyes. It was hard to admit she wasn't able to fly at her age, no matter how hard she practiced, and she was scared Rumble would make fun of her. It was bad enough when Diamond Tiara picked on her for her wings being smaller than any foal her age, but it would break her heart and self-esteem if her crush mentioned and made fun of them.

"...I-I...I don't know if I could," she mumbled.

"I think so," Rumble said. "In fact, I was thinking of either getting me a scooter myself, or maybe even a skateboard, and try out some of those stunts you do." Scootaloo blushed, her insecurities fading from Rumble's shared interest in stunt tricks while on the ground. "So...what do you say? Wanna...be my date for Hearts and Hooves Day?"

The colt grinned sheepishly as he waited for an answer. Scootaloo clutched her gift tightly, her heart definitely screaming yes and won over her mind's dissuaded insecurities and fears.

"...O-Ok," she squeaked, still nervous as she was going through her first date with her crush, but she was just as excited and smiled back at him.

Rumble beamed, eager to start their date. He helped Scootaloo down and the two set off to enjoy the day together like every other couple. Through the bushes in the distance, Dizzy nodded silently to himself. He didn't need any magical influence to help give them a little push to their heart's desires. Hopefully, Discord will see what he saw and take that as some encouragement to ask out his own crush, Fluttershy. Leaving Scootaloo be to enjoy her date, he teleported back to his older self to see how Big Mac was doing.

Upon arrival, the colt was in his blue mage outfit, Discord having made their Ogres & Oubliettes realm as he was in his Captain Wuzz persona again, along with Spike in his Garbunkle outfit. "Hey. What I miss? Anything fun?"

"I happened to set up a little date for Big Mac to get his mind off of Sugar Belle," Discord said. "He's hanging out with Skellinor."

"Isn't she that Level 18 Bone Warrior in the Squizard's army, who only signed up to pay off her skeletal student loan debts?" Dizzy questioned.

"The very one!" Discord agreed.

"Well, it's not going well," Spike grumbled in disappointment, watching Big Mac, or Sir McBiggun, interact with a giant drawing of a female skeletal warrior pony through some binoculars. "He's showing her a picture of Sugar Belle...And now he's crying."

"Huh?" Both draconequui snatched the binoculars out of Spike's claws, each one peering an eye into one end to see the stallion bawling his eyes out in the distance with Skellinor as an animated game piece in the live O&O world, glancing around awkwardly.

"Oh for goodness sake," Discord grumbled. With his idea to distract Big Mac failing the moment it started, he snapped them out of their O&O world and transported them back to the barn. "That didn't work. So much for that."

"Well, Dizzy, what did you and Sora find out?" Spike asked. "And...where IS Sora?"

"We got nothing," Dizzy said. "We found Kairi, but she didn't want to spoil the surprise. Also, Sora's busy wandering with the Crusaders to look for Sweetie Belle's secret admirer."

"Sweetie Belle has a secret admirer?" Spike asked curiously.

"Sent her a romantic pie or something," Dizzy said. "Though her chances to find a colt her age around Ponyville looks slim. Especially with Sora going into overprotective big brother mode and scaring them."

"Huh. Guess sending a romantic pie to somepony is more common than we thought," Spike said. Focusing back on Big Mac's predicament, and Discord's plan foiled despite his good intentions helping one of his guy friends out, he had an idea that might work for Big Mac. "Ok. Chaos remedies for a broken heart aren't really working. Whenever I have a problem that's too big to solve, I hide from it!" Discord and Dizzy stared at the baby dragon, then glanced at each other with deadpanned expressions. "If Sugar Belle can't find you, she'll realize how much she misses you. Plus, if she can't find you, she can't break up with you!"

"I feel like that's going to make it worse," Dizzy said.

Despite the colt's complaints, Big Mac had agreed with Spike's idea. "I can't believe we didn't get anywhere." Panicking, Spike and Big Mac quickly hid behind some hay bales. Discord and Dizzy warped themselves, Dizzy hiding with Spike while Discord shrank down and stood on Big Mac's shoulder. The baby dragon remained hidden while Big Mac peeked around the corner, partially relieved that it was Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Tender Taps, and Sora coming into the barn. "Not a single colt knew about the pie."

"Or maybe they were just nervous to say it out loud," Tender Taps suggested.

"More like scared with Sora givin' them a death glare," Apple Bloom added.

"Hey, if you girls are growing up, I gotta make sure that Mr. Right is the right one for you and they don't hurt you," Sora said. "As much as I don't want to see you with other colts in a romantic way...I have no right to control your love lives, to my chagrin."

"I hope my special somepony's like Big Mac," Sweetie Belle sighed as she wondered who that special somepony of hers could be. "Sugar Belle's lucky to have somepony like him."

"Well, she certainly doesn't seem to have appreciated it," Discord whispered to Big Mac.

"Or maybe like Sora!" Sweetie Belle added, making Sora balk in surprise. "A brave hero who whisks his beloved off her hooves! Kairi deserves somepony like Sora, and you two are gonna be married! I hope the wedding comes soon!"

"Yes, what DID she do to deserve you?" Discord silently questioned Big Mac, his words making the stallion fuming and question if his relationship with Sugar Belle had been for nothing all this time.

"Uhh, w-well, I think there's a few more things to do before announcing the date?" Sora muttered sheepishly. "Aqua managed to enchant the crystals for everyone I've met and befriended throughout the worlds for the wedding. But, because of the world order, she didn't want others beyond who I knew to see another world through magic crystals, so they're all going to at least hear everything. We got the catering, flowers, Rarity's specially making mine and Kairi's attire-"

"What about flower fillies!?" Apple Bloom asked. "Can we be your flower fillies!?"

"You three were the flower girls for Cadence and Shining Armor's wedding already," Sora said. "After some thought, though, I've already got two of the three in mind: Dinky Doo and Diamond Tiara."

Surprised, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle shifted their gaze between each other and Sora. "You have Diamond Tiara as a flower filly?"

"Hey, it's not easy picking who's going to be part of the wedding when there's so many of you who want to play such important roles. Besides, after realizing why Diamond was such a bully, I figure this will make up for my own teasing and riling her up when she was making fun of you girls." Though Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were a bit disappointed that the Crusaders weren't all going to take part in Sora and Kairi's wedding as their flower girls, they didn't mind his decision at all. While Sora pondered who the third lucky filly will be, his thoughts were derailed when he saw Big Mac galloping off down the road, not expecting the farm stallion to have been hiding in the barn the whole time. "Was that Big Mac? Where's he running off to now?"

"Maybe he went off to get Sugar Belle for their date?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Oh no! We forgot to set up the barn!" Apple Bloom exclaimed. "What time is it!? We're gonna ruin a romantic date for mah brother all over again!"

Apple Bloom frantically ran over to the forgotten decorations she and her friends had planned to set up for her brother and his marefriend. "Uhh, I'm...not sure there's going to be a-" As Sora tried to explain, he was interrupted by a couple thuds and small grunts from the nearby hay bales. Spike and Dizzy fell out from their hiding spots, brushing off strands of hay while the other foals and Sora stared at the duo. "...Were you guys all hiding in here for some reason?"

"Discord wasn't making Big Mac feel any better, so I suggested to him that if he hid from Sugar Belle, he wouldn't get hurt and they'd eventually get back together when she misses him," Spike said.

"That's going to make it worse," Sora said.

"Told ya," Dizzy stated, sticking his tongue out at the baby dragon.

"Then where's Discord? Is he still hiding?" Sora questioned.

"He questioned Big Mac about Sugar Belle's loyalty to him from what you all were talking about a few minutes ago," Dizzy said. "He got really mad, and if I'm right, I think Big Mac's going to be the one to end their relationship rather than the other way around."

"WHAT!?" Sora shrieked.

"Mah brother's gonna break up with Sugar Belle!?" Apple Bloom questioned. "Why!? Ah've never seen the two of them so much as bicker, and they can never take their eyes off each other!"

Sora growled and stomped his hoof. "Darn it! I knew I shouldn't have left the three of you with Big Mac to cheer him up!"

"Hey, what did I do!?" Dizzy complained. "I didn't want to see them break up!"

"Because you could have stopped your other self from planting stupid ideas in a confused, lovesick stallion's head, and now the situation's gotten worse!" Sora rushed off, hoping he would catch up to Big Mac before it was too late.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were distraught by the horrible news. "So...all we did for Big Mac was all for nothin'?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I'm...sure there must be some kind of misunderstanding," Tender Taps said, trying to console the young Apple.

"We did only hear part of what Sugar Belle was planning for Big Mac before Discord whisked us back to the farmhouse," Dizzy said.

"Oh, relax." Discord appeared between the foals and dragon, laying on his back while fiddling with his odd bottle project. "I've got this all planned out."

"You do?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"I may not like this kind of holiday like the rest of you, but will not allow one of my fellow LARPers be a miserable mope the rest of his life," Discord said. Using a pair of tweezers, he fixed placed what looked like a wheel inside the bottle, the object within more a wagon than a ship or boat. "Might have been a mistake to get him riled up and decide on taking the harder route, but then they won't be able to make up and learn an important lesson about communication. Something that Big Mac is lacking from his very few choice words in his vocabulary."

"Well, there was a reason why mah brother doesn't talk all that much," Apple Bloom said. "Granny said Applejack and Big Mac bickered a lot when Ah was a toddler, arguin' over who had the best ideas to help the farm. Applejack's lyin' to have Filthy Rich sell our family's cider durin' cider season almost got one of mah brother's legs to get hacked off by Granny Smith at the hospital, and it wouldn't have gotten worse if he didn't antagonize Applejack with how right he had been and how mah sister was just pilin' up that whole lie."

Discord nearly dropped his tweezers as everyone gawked at Apple Bloom's summarized tale. "Your granny almost cut off your brother's leg!?" Tender Taps asked.

"Oh. So that's why he's always a stallion of few words," Spike said. "I guess some words can hurt if they're the wrong things, or not said enough." While Spike pondered some specific words he wanted to say to a certain someone he pined for, as he looked around the barn, he noticed a certain someone that was missing among the group. "Hey, what happened to Scootaloo?"





Kairi waved to the pony manning a stall selling chocolate-covered strawberries, having bought herself a couple dozen for herself and Sora later in the evening to share. She hummed a little tune, eager for the patrolling to end so she can spend the night with him. Rounding the corner, she found Sugar Belle again, who was given a bit of a tour of town from Mrs. Cake. She approached the unicorn as Mrs. Cake made her way back to Sugarcube Corner.

"Getting yourself more acquainted with Ponyville?" Kairi asked.

"A little, but I think I could manage on my own," Sugar Belle said. "I was just about to find Big Mac to tell him the good news. Just imagine the look on his face when I tell him, 'We need to talk.'"

"Ooh, don't say it like that," Kairi advised. "It sounds like you're going to break up with him."

"Break up with him?" Sugar questioned. "Never! Why, without my favorite delivery pony, I couldn't imagine being happy ever again. And I know he knows that."

"Exactly," Kairi said. "After all I had to suffer through with the Crusaders and Sora to helping get you two together, I would be devastated myself if your two lovebirds ever split up."

"He's a very good listener," Sugar Belle said. "We're both perfect soul mates like you and Sora are."

"Well, Sora and I did have a bit of a tiff a while back during a friendship problem in Las Pegasus, but I still love that goofball no matter how annoying he can be." Both mares giggled, both their lovers silly antics always meant with good intentions. Down the road, Kairi spotted Big Mac coming this way, barely noticing the serious expression nor his hardened gaze. "Oh! Here he comes."

Seeing her coltfriend approach her, Sugar Belle was barely able to contain her excitement as she opened her mouth to speak. "Sugar Belle, we need to talk," Big Mac said, surprising the unicorn. "Ah know why you're here."

"You do?" Sugar Belle and Kairi asked.

Sugar Belle looked at Kairi, thinking she might have said something to Sora who relayed it to Big Mac, but the alicorn shrugged her shoulders, just as equally confused. "But Ah have somethin' to tell ya first," Big Mac added.

"Oh, can I go first?" Sugar Belle asked. "I'm gonna be-"

"Stop." Big Mac held up his hoof, interrupting Sugar Belle, his behavior baffling Kairi.

"Oh. Why don't we tell each other on three?" the unicorn suggested.

As Sugar Belle was about to count to three for them to say what they wanted to share together in a silly, but adorable way, Kairi was growing a bit concerned when Big Mac looked like he was about to break up in tears while still looking incredibly upset. "It's over!" Big Mac said as he turned away.

Sugar Belle was left perplexed, but Kairi was astonished. "'Over'? What do you mean 'over'?"

"Me and Sugar Belle. It's over," Big Mac stated, moving over to the wall of a nearby building and leaned strangely against the wall, like he didn't seem to care about such a serious claim.

"W-What's over?" Sugar Belle asked, unable to process what her coltfriend was trying to say.

"We're breakin' up!" he exclaimed angrily, getting some glances from ponies nearby who heard his outburst.

"WHAT!?" Kairi shrieked.

"I-I don't understand," Sugar Belle uttered. "Why are you breaking up with me? And...why are you leaning like that?"

Big Mac noticed how he was standing, getting more frustrated as he stepped away from the building while avoiding looking at Sugar Belle. "I...don't know!"

Desperate to know what exactly she did wrong, Sugar Belle approached Big Mac, her eyes pleading for an answer to what was going on in his head. "Big Mac, please. Talk to me," she begged.

The stallion stammered, unable to explain as he grew more frustrated and let out a disgruntled groan. "This is why Ah don't like talkin'! Words can hurt! WORDS HURT! Goodbye, Sugar Belle!"

Big Mac ran off, leaving two confused mares, Sugar Belle's eyes welling with tears as she began to sob, her heart torn apart with no idea why he didn't want to be with her anymore. Kairi was dumbfounded, too stunned to console the weeping mare as she witnessed the most confusing breakup ever. Thinking back on what Sora said about Big Mac having a surprise for Sugar Belle, the nervous look on his face seemed to explain his questioning of Sugar Belle's surprise for Big Mac.

"W-Why...? Why does he not...?" Sugar Belle couldn't bear staying in Ponyville after being painfully dumped by the stallion whom she thought was the one.

She began to walk away as Kairi speechlessly watched her leave, no doubt wanting to pack up some of her belongings and go back home heartbroken. Growling, she looked down the road Big Mac took, needing answers, and she was going to get them.

"Sora, you've got some explaining to do," she grumbled, clutching her sweets as she shot up in the air, looking around for her fiancé. It wasn't hard to spot the spiky-haired pegasus stallion, who was running through town, just missing Big Mac as he turned down another street filled with couples. She dove down toward him, her horn lighting up, and when she was within close range, she teleported the both of them to the castle, planting Sora's rump down on Applejack's throne while dropping their strawberries onto the cutie map. "Alright, mister! You better fess up right now!"

"K-Kairi!? What are you-!?" He tried to get up, but Kairi shoved him back in the throne

"After all the work we did to get Big Mac and Sugar Belle together, was that why you looked nervous when we asked what surprise the two had for each other!?" Kairi questioned.

"...I...don't understand. What are you talking about?" Sora asked.

"Big Mac just came right up to Sugar Belle and broke up with her!" Sora's jaw dropped, mortified by the unfortunate news. "Was that the secret Big Mac had planned? He clearly loves her, but he just up and dumps her without any reason! He just said 'words hurt', and the two have barely said a thing to each other all day until several minutes ago!"

"That's not true!" Sora exclaimed. "I was trying to stop him! If anyone should be blamed, blame Discord!"

"Why?" Kairi questioned, crossing her hooves over her chest.

"He was skeptical about Hearts and Hooves Day just being some corporate sellout for businesses to sell romantic cards, flowers, chocolates, and all that for couples," Sora explained. "So I went out into town with Spike to show him with all the couples around to change his mind, and then we saw you with Sugar Belle in town, which kind of threw a wrench in Big Mac's surprise."

"What was the surprise?" Kairi asked.

"Big Mac baked an apple pie with a romantic invitation inside for Sugar Belle for a Hearts and Hooves Day dinner at the barn. When we saw her, she was never going to get that pie, so we told Big Mac, hid behind some bushes as you two were talking about him, I think, and Sugar Belle was trying to find a way to tell him that 'we're finished.'" As irritated as Kairi should be for her fiancé, Discord, Spike, and even Dizzy with the colt joining them had been spying on them, but she was baffled they had misheard what the two mares were talking about. "...Uhh...If that wasn't right, then that was Discord's fault, too. He teleported us back to the farm before we got anymore details."

"Of course it wasn't right, you dork!" Kairi exclaimed. "Sugar Belle wasn't planning to break up with him! She was going to tell him he didn't need to go out of his way to see her at Our Town anymore every week because she was going to take an apprenticeship with Mrs. Cake!"

"...Really?" Sora asked.

"Yes! And she wasn't talking about Big Mac; she was talking about her cousin!" Kairi stated. "He's old enough to be on his own and Sugar Belle is letting him run her shop on the weekends so she can study under Mrs. Cake for two days - wait, no, three days, that way Big Mac doesn't have to make a delivery to Our Town to see her on days when he should be busy in the orchard!" Despite getting all the information he needed, Sora was slackjawed. Kairi grumbled and leered at him. "What? You really don't believe that?"

"...No. I believe you, Kairi," Sora said. "I'm just...shocked that Spike was somehow spot on when he randomly guessed that earlier." The couple were silent as they both mulled over the lacking information they could have learned much earlier on in the day. Sora broke the silence with a sheepish laugh. "Uhh...Maybe we should have broken our promises to keeping their secrets so we didn't end up in another argument that could have ended abruptly?"

"Yeah, otherwise I was going to verbally scold you and think you really did set their breakup," Kairi said. "I don't even know if we can salvage it anymore. Sugar Belle's probably already packed up her stuff and is on her way back home."

"We should still have time to fix the misunderstanding," Sora said.

Suddenly appearing in a flash behind Kairi, Discord and Dizzy hovered over the Cutie Map. "No need to rectify anything," Discord assured. "It'll sort itself out soon."

Kairi growled as she turned to glare at Discord. "Ooh! I smell chocolate covered strawberries!" Dizzy plopped down on the crystal table, eyeing the boxes of sweets.

Kairi smacked the colt's greedy claw as she snatched the boxes away from him. "Dizzy, these are for me and Sora to share," she gently scolded Dizzy, making him whimper and pout in disappointment. "And as for you, Discord, you're the reason why Big Mac wanted to break up with Sugar Belle!?"

"Au contraire, my dear, I was trying to help lift my battle buddy's spirits after hearing the unfortunate news of Sugar Belle's breakup surprise," Discord said, which only infuriated Kairi further.

"She wasn't planning to dump Big Mac, you chaotic chimera!" Kairi screeched.

Undeterred by the alicorn's ire, Discord kept the sly grin on his muzzle as he levitated the Princess of Heart right into Sora's lap. "I may not know much about relationships, especially in the romance department, but like all relationships, communication is a very big factor. And Big Mac lacked in that, sooo...I suppose it's best to show you that everything is going to be alright."

With a snap of his fingers, Discord created a cloud window in front of them, showing the outskirts of Ponyville as the sun was beginning to set. On the road, Sora and Kairi saw Sugar Belle leaving town, pulling a light blue cart behind her with a few of her belongings in tow. Sora and Kairi were worried they were going to be too late to stop Sugar Belle and help repair hers and Big Mac's relationship when Discord pulled out his object in a bottle project.

"...Is that supposed to be some kind of...ship in a bottle thing?" Kairi asked. "But...why is it a cart inside?"

"Wait. That looks just like..." With a flick of his talons, Discord materialized his pair of tweezers, then reached the thin clampers inside the thin bottle neck and grabbed the right wheel.

He took it off and caused the cart to tilt over, but in the ethereal screen watching Sugar Belle, her cart's similar wheel also fell off, causing the mare to grunt and look back at the dislodged wheel. "Oh, of all the rotten luck," Sugar Belle uttered sadly, unhitching herself to try to fix the wheel.

"Was that the reason why you were working on that-?" Sora's skepticism was cut off when Discord used his magic to open one of the boxes of chocolate covered strawberries, plopping one into his mouth.

"Quiet in the theater," Discord chided while Dizzy giggled. "We're getting to the good part. Here comes the big lug."

As Sugar Belle struggled to lift her cart with her magic and set the wheel back on, she wound up slipping in the mud and fell over. Big Mac came up from the road, managing to catch up with the unicorn before it was too late. She looked up, surprised and a bit worried to see him, even as he held his hoof out to her. She took it and was helped back up on her hooves, covered in mud from the slip.

"Ah'm glad Ah caught ya just in time," Big Mac said. "We both know Ah don't like to say much, but Ah'm gonna say somethin' now. Even though Ah'm hurtin', Ah wouldn't trade this feelin' for anythin'. Because it'd mean givin' up the good times we had, too. Ah only broke up with ya because you were gonna break up with me. Ah respect your decision, and you should know you'll always be in mah heart."

Sugar Belle looked confused after finally figuring out what was making Big Mac act so strangely. "I didn't want to break up with you."

"But...ya said ya didn't need me to visit anymore," Big Mac said, growing more confused after going through the heartbreaking ordeal. "You said Ah'm gonna be on mah own. Ah heard ya say 'we're finished' when Ah was hidin' in the bushes." Sugar Belle gave him an odd look, perturbed by the fact he overheard her and Kairi by hiding in the bushes. "...That sounds worse than it is. But it wasn't mah idea; it was Sora's."

"Hey!" Sora exclaimed. "Why me!? It was Discord!"

"We'll both share the blame," Discord sighed.

Sora huffed and pouted in his seat, though Kairi couldn't help but giggle from the brotherly blaming he and Big Mac shared. On the screen, Sugar Belle was relieved and laughed at the silly notion the farm stallion had from the overheard conversation.

"Oh, Big Mac! I was talking about my cousin!" she said. "I have this wacky cousin who's never been on his own, but I have to let him run my shop on weekends. Which is why you won't be delivering to my village anymore because I'll already be here apprenticing with Mrs. Cake, who does that two days a week. No, three."

Big Mac had the same exact dumbfounded look Sora had from the surprisingly accurate guess Spike made. "Wait til Ah tell Spike!"

"I'd never break up with you, Big Mac," Sugar Belle assured her stallion as the two nuzzled each other. Sora and Kairi were relieved it didn't get worse and the two were back together, even if it was some kind of weird lesson Discord had intentionally or unintentionally set up for someone to learn. Big Mac went over to Sugar Belle's cart and fixed it back up without any issue, his strong build easily hefting the cart up as he hammered the wheel back in its axle with his hoof. "I suppose there's a lesson here somewhere about communication, talking instead of assuming, or eavesdropping is wrong. Wouldn't you say?"

"Eeyup," Big Mac agreed.

With the misunderstanding completely cleared and Big Mac and Sugar Belle back together, Discord wiped the viewing window out of existence with a rag. Sora and Kairi looked at the bottle and the broken cart inside it. He may have been the cause of the confusion and miscommunication, but he became a bit more soft thanks to Fluttershy, and he went out of his way to help Big Mac catch Sugar Belle and have the two make amends on their own without anyone else making the situation far more complicated than needed.

"...Wow, Discord," Kairi said. "That was...nice of you."

"At least he's no longer moody and bitter," Discord said. "I'd prefer Big Mac being all smitten for his marefriend than crying like a blubbering baby."

"So...after seeing what they've gone through, you believe true love does exist," Sora pondered. "And the holiday's not about buying cheap or expensive gifts to your special someone."

"Oh, you bet he does," Dizzy spoke for Discord, the older draconequus rolling his eyes as his grin faded. "But you wanna know the real kicker? He already knows it exists."

"He does?" Sora and Kairi questioned.

"Mhmm!" Dizzy hummed with a cheeky smile. The colt snapped his fingers, popping Sora's memory book into existence, then flipped the pages to a segment of pictures entitled "Sora & Kairi: Together Forever". Around the many pictures of Sora and Kairi, there were hearts all over the pages. They were in chronological order from the moments the two shared on the island when Riku wasn't around. Two heartfelt images of the two holding each other when Sora had become a Heartless and Kairi brought him back, the other in Organization XIII's castle after being apart for more than a year since they parted after defeating Seeker of Darkness Ansem were more prominent out of the collage. The rest had their time together in Equestria, more likely making up the time apart from their journey and training as Key bearers, was all surrounded by the moment Sora proposed to Kairi last year on Hearts and Hooves Day, Sora holding out the ring to a overjoyed, teary-eyed Kairi. "Even though you two have been so far apart for so long, you never let that stop you from loving each other. And Kairi no longer has to play the damsel in distress now that she can fight along with you."

Sora and Kairi looked at each other, both grinning from Discord's odd admiration of believing in love because of them. "Well, that's really sweet of you to think, Discord," Kairi said.

"Yeah, yeah, Dizzy is right," Discord grunted. "And...I do admit I am a bit jealous. I was lucky enough to even be friends with Fluttershy."

"Even though you drive all of us crazy, you've changed a lot from who you were before and made more friends besides Fluttershy," Sora said. "We're friends, too." Discord mumbled an agreement as he waved his paw around, brushing it off. Dizzy warped the book out of existence, giving a little giggle. Through all the excitement today, Sora remembered Discord's wager he gave to him and Spike. "Say, Kairi, if everything's all clear from our patrols, how about tonight we have a double date?"

"A double date?" Kairi asked. "Uhh, alright. But...who exactly do you want to bring?"

"Discord made a little bet with Spike and I," Sora said, grabbing one of the strawberries in the box. "Since he believes true love exists, he lost. So, for losing..." He popped the chocolate-coated fruit in his mouth, this time relishing the treat as he chewed with a smirk. "He's gotta ask Fluttershy out on a date."

Discord winced, having completely forgotten about the bet while Dizzy clapped his hands eagerly. "Oh, really?" Kairi asked, glancing at Discord and sharing the same smirk as her future husband. "No wonder you've always had a bit of a soft spot for Fluttershy."

"Not really subtle about it, especially with Dizzy expressing what Discord really feels underneath that heart of his," Sora added.

"Oh no," Discord mumbled.

"I think that's a great idea," Kairi said. She shut the box before Sora could snag another strawberry, flapping out of his lap while using her magic to grab the draconequus's wrist. "Come on, Discord. Let's get you ready."

She began dragging Discord, who somehow wasn't able to break free despite all his power. "N-N-Now wait, hold on a minute! This is just a FRIENDLY date! F-R-I-E-N-D-L-Y date!" Discord complained. He looked back to Dizzy and Sora for help, but the two grinned and watched him panic. "Stop smiling like that! It's just a normal friendly date between us!"

"Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourself that," Sora said as he got up from his seat and followed the two. "He just needs a little confidence boost." As he walked past Dizzy, he ruffled the colt's head, hearing Discord let out a frustrated shout as he felt it as well. "See ya around, Dizzy."

"Have fun!" Dizzy called out with a wave, giggling to himself as he relished the excited nerves wracking his other self. "I know he is."





Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom had managed to get the barn set up for Big Mac and Sugar Belle's romantic date as Discord had assured them that there will be a date before he and Dizzy disappeared. Tender Taps helped, along with Spike since he had nothing else planned. What really surprised them was Dizzy answering Spike's question involving Scootaloo, and where she had been since the fillies were so focused on finding Sweetie Belle's secret admirer. They were glad to know Scootaloo had a special somepony, even though they had no idea she was that upset and jealous of them when she had been hiding it.

With the sun setting and no luck finding the colt who sent her that pie, Sweetie Belle sighed as she sat on a stump a little ways away from the barn. "We asked every colt in town, and not a single one spoke up," she said to herself. "I was going to ask Rumble if it was him, but knowing he took Scootaloo on a date shot that possibility down."

Apple Bloom, Tender Taps, and Spike came over to the upset unicorn filly, Apple Bloom carrying the pie that was delivered to her. "Well, maybe we couldn't find your special somepony, but we don't want to let this pie go to waste."

Sweetie Belle lifted her head, feeling a bit hungry after searching for the colt who sent her the pie all day. When Sweetie Belle took a bite from her slice, she grimaced when she felt something grind her teeth that wasn't gooey apple goodness. Sticking out her tongue, she grabbed what seemed like a piece of paper inside her slice.

"Ugh. Somepony accidentally baked some paper in this pie?" Tender Taps questioned.

"Hey, Sweetie Belle's special somepony must have left a message in the pie just like Big Mac tried to do for Sugar Belle," Spike said. "You must have been so excited to find him that he must have set up a location for your date."

Curious, Sweetie Belle found the message and began to read it aloud. "'Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, Sugar Belle. Meet me-'"

Shocked, all four of them gawked at the message and who the recipient the pie was meant for. "Sugar Belle!?" they exclaimed.

"T-This was Sugar Belle's pie!?" Spike asked. "W-What's it doing here!? I thought it was sent to Sugar Belle's home in Our Town!"

"There was a smudge on one of the pictures on the box the pie came in," Apple Bloom mentioned. "We thought it was for Sweetie Belle because the only thing that could be seen was a bell."

"...Huh. Probably should have written her name down on it as well to avoid a mix up at the post office," Spike pondered.

"So I never really had a secret admirer after all," Sweetie Belle mumbled.

"Sorry, Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom apologized.

Glancing down at her slice of apple pie, Sweetie Belle took another bite, thankfully with no other surprise messages inside. "I'll be fine. Ever since I crushed on Sora, I was getting a bit too hasty when it comes to finding a special somepony. I just need to be patient and I'll find him one day."

"That's the spirit," Apple Bloom cheered. "Ah wonder how Scootaloo's doin' on her date."

Down the road, they heard Scootaloo and Rumble talking among each other as they came up toward the orchard. From the look on Scootaloo's face, it seemed like their date went well, and they noticed the bouquet of roses she had on her back. They waved the two down, startling Scootaloo when she spotted them hanging around the orchard as she began to feel a little nervous with them seeing her hanging out with Rumble.

"Hey, Scootaloo! How'd your date with Rumble go!?" Sweetie Belle asked.

The pegasus filly winced, then let out a small groan. "Did Dizzy tell them?"

"Well, they know now," Rumble said.

The pegasus couple went through the front gates of the property and joined the other four. "So...Did you find your secret admirer, Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo asked.

"Uhh, funny story," Sweetie Belle giggled. "That pie was actually meant for Sugar Belle, not me."

"For Sugar Belle?" Scootaloo asked. "Huh. I guess it was a bit hard to read with the first part of the 'name' all smudged."

"But at least you feel a lot better after a date with your special somepony," Apple Bloom said. The pegasus filly flinched, looking away from her friends sheepishly. "We didn't know you were feelin' miserable today, and we were makin' it worse with me and Tender Taps and Sweetie's 'admirer'."

"...Maybe I should have said something, but if I said I was worried about how you'd think if I said I wanted to find my special somepony...I thought you would have thought I was being silly," Scootaloo said. "I usually don't like mushy or lovey-dovey stuff, but since we're getting older, I...kinda wanted to find that special somepony."

"And you like Rumble?" Sweetie Belle asked. Scootaloo blushed, but she nodded her head. "Then you've got nothing to worry about, silly filly! We're happy for you!"

"Exactly!" Apple Bloom agreed. "We don't want ya feelin' left out. Coltfriends or not, we're not alone so long as we have each other."

The Crusaders giggled and got together in a group hug. As touching as the sentiment was for the fillies, Tender Taps, Rumble, and Spike watched as they glanced at each other awkwardly.

"...So, Rumble, does Sora know you're dating Scootaloo?" Tender Taps asked curiously.

"No. I haven't seen him all day," Rumble said. "...Why?"

"Oh, just be wary when he gives you the evil eye," the tap dancer warned.

Rumble gulped, knowing how close Sora was to the Crusaders. "Oh. R-Right...I'll try not to get on his bad side."

"What about you, Spike?" Tender Taps asked. "Do you have a special somepony? Or somedragon?"

"Eh, no. Just another Hearts and Hooves Day alone," Spike said. "I was kinda busy helping Big Mac, but one day, I'll be with the mare of my dreams."

"You still have a crush on Rarity?" Sweetie Belle asked, startling the baby dragon.

"Who said I was!?" Spike exclaimed. The fillies looked at each other with deadpanned expressions, then back to the baby dragon. "...Anypony else gonna finish their pies!? Don't want to let it go to waste!"

Spike stuffed his slice in his mouth to avoid talking about his "not so obvious" crush on the unicorn fashionista. The Crusaders giggled at his reaction, always willing to include the baby dragon if he was feeling a bit left out from either the Mane Six or the Keyblade wielders while they were busy with more dangerous matters. They finished up the rest of the pie and enjoyed the rest of the sunset together together before it got too dark and return home for the evening.





"This is absolutely insane," Discord muttered, twiddling his digits while he was being pushed by Sora and Kairi all the way down to Fluttershy's cottage. The animals around her home were also coupled together with their mates for the holiday. "And I should know insane. I practically invented it."

"Don't you go getting cold feet on us, Discord," Kairi grunted.

Sora and Kairi stopped pushing as they caught their breath, but when Sora looked down, Discord's feet were literally encased in ice. "And not literally," he said, smashing the ice with his hoof. "Now just go up to the door, knock on it, and when she answers, just ask her if she wants to go on a double date."

"W-What if she's sleeping? It is getting late out," Discord said with a nervous laugh, gesturing to the sky, though the sun was just beginning to set. He gave the couple a small grin, but they weren't taking any of his excuses. He caved in, letting out a heavy sigh. "Alright. Enough delaying the inevitable."

In a flash of light, Discord created a bouquet of roses and a heart-shaped box. Turning to face the cottage, he inhaled deeply, puffed his cheeks, then exhaled to compose his frazzled nerves. He walked up to the door, glancing back to see Sora and Kairi giving him encouraging gestures, assuring him he's got this. Biting his lip, he turned back to the door, slithering his tail up to the wood and gave it a few knocks. A moment of silence passed before Fluttershy opened the door.

"Oh! Hello, Discord," she greeted. "Happy Hearts and Hooves Day."

"Heh. Y-Yeah. Happy Romantic Lovey-Dovey Day," Discord said, bearing a sheepish grin. The mare giggled as he mispronounced the holiday into something else. She didn't notice Sora or Kairi down on the bridge watching them, but Discord began sweating bullets, beginning to worry he was going to mess it up. Realizing he was carrying the roses and chocolates, he held them out to Fluttershy. "Er, I created some flowers and candy for you."

"Oh my. How sweet of you." Fluttershy took the gifts, but the bouquet began to shiver, making her squeak in surprise as the flowers suddenly split apart into a flurry of chaotically covered butterflies. Sora was flabbergasted by the trick flowers, however, Fluttershy only giggled as she watched the butterflies fly away. "The 'flowers' are lovely, Discord."

"Err...Maybe I should have bought some instead," Discord mumbled.

Fluttershy opened the box, which was filled with chocolates, all of them shaped like Discord's face in different expressions. "Wow. Very creative," she complimented. "I'm not sure I want to eat any of them." She closed the box and set them inside, growing curious of the lovely gifts her chaotic friend gave her. "This is the first time I've ever seen you around Hearts and Hooves Day. Why is that?"

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..." Discord began to blush, tapping his fingers while trying to get his brain to function and say what Sora told him to say. The tiny engineer Discords in his skull finally jumpstarted his brain after hammering away at the nerves preventing him from asking Fluttershy out. Shaking his head and smacking his cheeks, he inhaled deeply through his nostrils. "Fluttershy...do you want to go out, with me, the former Lord of Chaos, on a date?"

Surprised, Fluttershy began to blush and hide beneath her long mane. "...A-A date? F-For...Hearts and H-Hooves Day?"

The bravado he showed quickly deflated as Discord's face turned completely red. "Oh boy, he had it, and then he cracked," Sora groaned.

"At least he asked her out," Kairi said. Deciding to spare Discord's intensely frazzled attempt begin to flop as he fell completely silent, she and Sora approached them to rescue him. "Hey, Fluttershy. What's going on?"

"U-Umm...I-I think...Discord asked me out...on a...date?" Fluttershy mumbled.

"He did!?" Kairi asked, feigning a shocked gasp. "What a surprise! And on Hearts and Hooves Day!"

"And the award for worst acting goes to..." The alicorn leered at Sora as he gave her a cheeky grin.

Ignoring him, Kairi looked back at Fluttershy with an excited grin. "It's such a coincidence that Sora and I were finishing up our lookout for Chrysalis today, and we just so happened to overhear him asking you out. How about you two join us for a double date tonight?"

She waited for Discord to take the hint and roll with the assisted idea, but the draconequus was still stock solid. Kairi nudged his hip, finally snapping him out of his stupor as the color returned to his face.

"Er- OH! Y-Yes! Double date!" he stated. "T-That's exactly what I was going to suggest! Hanging out with other friends while enjoying each other's company! All my idea!"

Sora rolled his eyes, ignoring the urge to facehoof and humiliate Discord more. Fluttershy fussed with her mane nervously, glancing up at Discord as her blush deepened. With Sora and Kairi around, it sounded like a fun time, and would help make her feel less timid when she knows how much Discord cares about her thanks to Dizzy.

"...O-Ok," she finally said.

The small, but positive response made Discord's heart explode. Still incredibly nervous, he beamed as he seemed to have pulled it off, but that was just the spark, and they've yet to get to the main event.

"Then let's not waste any moonlight," Kairi said. "We'll get some dinner at the cafe, and we can have some chocolate covered strawberries for dessert!"

Kairi guided Fluttershy from her doorstep and down the path from her home. The alicorn distracted the pegasus from her nerves as they walked ahead, Sora and Discord began following behind. Discord couldn't contain his excitement despite how anxious he still was.

"I asked her out," he giggled. "I actually did it." He then gasped as the anxiety began to kick in. "Oh dear. I think we're supposed to talk about things on dates." Popping in a notepad, Discord whimpered as he flipped through thousands of pages filled with different topics that Fluttershy would like. "Should we talk about her favorite animal? The kind of flowers she would actually like to be given as a gift? What if she's allergic to something? Should I brush my tooth? What would her family think of me!?"

Seeing him begin to spiral out of control, Sora jumped up and smacked Discord in the face. "Discord, relax," he urged. Needing the slap, Discord took a few breaths, dismissing the notepad. "You'll be fine. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but just be yourself around Fluttershy. You do that just fine when you visit her every Tuesday, right?"

Discord nodded his head. "Yes. You're right...Just...Just be myself," he said.

"Just not too much of yourself to distract any of the other couples, alright?" Sora added.

Chuckling, Discord gave Sora another nod. "Of course...Thanks. I needed that."

"What are friends for?" Sora hurried on ahead to walk alongside Kairi, seeing Fluttershy was a bit more relaxed while the mares talked about their day.

Discord grinned, still surprised to this day that he wound up becoming another of the many friends made by Sora. Even after tormenting him before and after his reformation, opening up his past loneliness in his youth during his first Guy's Night gave him that special pass to look past his malicious endeavors and see a lonely person in need of a friend. Just like Fluttershy when she called him her friend; his very first friend. Sure, Discord may get under Sora's skin every now and then, but he knew the stallion could take the teasing and even jab back. Despite not having the kind of power he had, Sora was the strongest where it counted, and everyone around him knows it just as much as he does.





Cozy Glow hummed as she fluttered around the castle, leaving behind a Hearts and Hooves Day card for the wielders on their bedroom doors while they were busy patrolling the town for any sign of the former changeling queen, Chrysalis. Each one had red and pink colored hearts with each of their names, but the one for Sora was very special. Patterned with more hearts than the others, there was even a little drawing of her and Sora inside with a heartfelt message on top reading, "Thank you for opening your heart to me."

After delivering all her letters, she flew back into her room and looked out the window overlooking the town. She had seen couples around the school and friends exchanging cards or candy between lessons, and as it got later, she could see the lights of some restaurants in town most likely filled with more couples on dates for a romantic evening.

"Golly, love is truly in the air today," she said to herself with a small giggle. "Hearts truly are the strongest out of anything."

She hovered back to her desk where all of her other creative drawing ideas rested. Shifting aside some of the papers, she found the one she had been working on for a while since Sora invited her to stay in the castle with them. Grabbing a white crayon, she carefully draw some lines around a heart to imitate a shimmering look to it, then shaded a bit more white inside the heart to make it look like it was glowing. Placing the crayon back in the box, she looked at her work so far: a big heart colored a bright white with a blue outline, shimmering brightly over a startlingly gloomy mountain range of browns and tans, darker brown lines on the tan ground depicting cracks in the earth and jagged peaks.

After looking over her handiwork, she folded the drawing and hid it at the bottom of one of her desk drawers for safekeeping. She let out a yawn as it was getting late, gathering her other papers and put them in another drawer before getting herself ready for bed.